Cambridgeshire young farmers compete for best straw sculpture

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Katy Prickett

BBC News, Cambridgeshire

March Young Farmers are hoping their tractor takes the prize in the straw bale sculpture competition

March Young Farmers A tractor sculpture made out of straw bales. It depicts a tractor with a Union flag flying from its "cab". Two large black tyres are resting on its side. It has a face made from eyes where its windscreen would be, nostrils at the front of its bonnet and a banner painted in the shape of a smile where its bonnet grille would be. It is surrounded by fields. — March Young Farmers are hoping their tractor takes the prize in the straw bale sculpture competition

Straw bale sculptures of tractors, animals and a combine harvester have been created by young farmers as part of an annual competition.

Five Cambridgeshire groups are competing against each other, inspired by this year’s theme – Back British Farming.

It is part of a publicity drive for the Cambridgeshire County Show, which is a traditional country event organised by the county’s young farmers.

County chairman Sam Forsyth, 25, said they hoped to “educate the public and show them how hard farmers work”.

“A lot of our members do feel quite passionately about what’s going on and are impacted by the changes in farming recently,” the quantity surveyor said.

They are competing against four other groups, including Huntingdon Young Farmers who have also created a tractor

Huntingdon Young Farmers A straw bale sculpture showing a tractor. It has very fat black tyres resting on its side and two orange and white cones resting on its top. Its cab has a window highlighted in black and beneath it is a licence plate saying HuntsYF in pink. It is in a farm gate. — They are competing against four other groups, including Huntingdon Young Farmers who have also created a tractor

The Cambridgeshire County Show is the farmers’ biggest fundraiser and is returning to the Abbots Ripton Estate, near Huntingdon, for the second time, on 31 May.

It has existed for more than 20 years and used to be held at the National Trust’s Wimpole Hall Estate.

Mr Forsyth said: “It’s bigger, we’ve got more trade stands, we’ve pre-sold more tickets and we’ve got livestock and live farming equipment displays this year.”

Soham Young Farmers made a combine harvester this year – they won last year’s competition with a straw bale Ely Cathedral

Soham Young Farmers A straw bale sculpture showing a combine harvester. On the right are round bales and behind it is the combine shape, with a figure made from a stuffed pair of blue overalls. On its side it says Back British Farming in blue and red letters. On its roof are two Union flags. It is resting in a field and in front is a sign saying Soham Young Famers. — Soham Young Farmers made a combine harvester this year – they won last year’s competition with a straw bale Ely Cathedral

Cambridgeshire Young Farmers has five branches that take part in the straw bale sculpture competition.

The rural youth charity, which is aimed at anyone who enjoys the countryside regardless of their farming background, has seen its membership grow by about 15% in Cambridgeshire recently.

“We’ve got our highest level of membership – 175 members – since I joined five years ago,” Mr Forsyth said.

Comberton Young Farmers used their bales to create farm animals

Comberton Young Farmers Three straw bale sculptures made from round bales, one resting on top of two at the base. On the left, one has a face of cow, in the middle is one with the face of a sheep, and the third has the face of a pig. Between two and three is a cut-out of a dog. — Comberton Young Farmers used their bales to create farm animals

Members, who are aged up to 28, compete against each other with challenges, including public speaking and tug-of-war.

They also compete against other county young farmer groups, and currently Cambridgeshire’s women’s netball and men’s football groups are the eastern regional champions.

There are 581 Young Farmers’ Clubs in England and Wales.